


Persuasion Check

by ChloShow



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Comedy, Gen, M/M, One-Sided Attraction, Podcast, Scheming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-06
Updated: 2020-04-06
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:20:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23503012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChloShow/pseuds/ChloShow
Summary: Fitzroy confronts Argo with his suspicions.
Relationships: Argo Keene/Sir Fitzroy Maplecourt
Comments: 7
Kudos: 52





	Persuasion Check

**Griffin** : What do I just go to his and the Firbolg’s room, or do I have to describe--

**Travis** : I’ll set the scene. Fitzroy, after speaking with Master Firbolg about Argo doing research about you, you make your way to your friends’ room and inch the door open to find Argo reading on his bed.

**Fitzroy** : Ahem, hello, Argo.

**Argo:** Fitz! I was just reading a book about my favorite rapscallion, Larry the Lime.

**Clint** : And he stashes the book under his bed.

**Fitzroy** : Ah-huh. Argo, would you... _mind_ if I spoke to you about something for a minute--a second--the teensiest of seconds. I’m sure it’s nothing, but I want to clear the air, so to speak.

  
 **Griffin** : Fitzroy closes the door behind him.

**Clint:** Argo looks around the room discreetly to see if he’s left anything out that Fitzroy shouldn’t see, but he’s already checked back in all his books on barbarians and the letter from Dindra is tucked safely away in his shirt.

**Justin** : Wait, in his shirt?

**Clint** : Yeah! It’s not like he has a safe or anything. Plus that would be suspicious. So he’s sewn a secret pocket in his shirt. And where else is the safest place to keep something you don’t want someone to find?

**Justin** : I would say, “Not on your person.”

**Clint:** Have you ever searched me to see if I was hiding any secrets, Justin?

**Justin** : No, I’ve never strip-searched my _fa_ ther. Nevermind. Get back to it. I derailed this incredibly tense moment. Sorry. I apologize.

**Argo** : I didn’t realize there was any bad air, but I wouldn’t know. My sense of smell isn’t so great.

**Fitzroy:** Your sense of--I can’t let you distract me with your nonsense from what I need to say, Argo. Master Firbolg has told me...it _looks_ like you’re--well, it appears from his perspective, and you know he might just be misconstruing the whole state of affairs because of his rather _lack_ of cultural knowledge--that, um, you have been... _researching_ me?

**Travis** : Yeah, sounds super confident. Not weird at all.

**Argo** : Researchin’, hm? What does he mean by that?

**Fitzroy** : He _means_ that you’ve been reading books on barbarians and half-elves, and today I even found mail for you addressed from Sylvia Nite, Dean of Students at Clyde Nite’s Night Knight School. Now that doesn’t seem especially _cool_ or _rad_ of you, seeing as we’re roommates and business partners and all. In fact, it seems rather _un_ cool now that I say it.

**Argo** : Oh, Fitzroy, you want to know why I’ve been readin’ all this--all this bric-a-brac?

**Fitzroy** : Enlighten me.  
  


 **Argo** : You see, the past few weeks, I’ve felt as if I have--well, to tell you the truth, I don’t feel like I’m a part of the Thundermen anymore. You’ve been speakin’ with the Firbolg more and more, and he’s speakin’ to me less than he usually does, which is sayin’ somethin’. I thought I might find the answer to why yer behavin’ the way you are by readin’ up on yer--on yer culture and heritage so to speak.

  
 **Travis** : You’re gonna have to roll for that, Dad. Persuasion check.

**Clint** : That’s a...3 plus 2 is 5.

**Griffin** : Not gonna cut it, Mac.

**Fitzroy** : I have to call a--I have to call major Bee Ess on that, Argo. If you thought something was wrong, why didn’t you just, I don’t know, _talk_ to us before you decided to write an entire doctoral thesis on myself and the Firbolg. 

**Argo** : Let me tell you the truth.

**Fitzroy** : Ah, the _real_ truth this time, or the fake truth?

**Argo** : The real truth.

**Fitzroy** : A likely story. But proceed. Just so you know, Snippers here can detect _lies_ . He’s a _lie_ detector. He’ll be able to tell me if you’re lying, so keep that in mind while you’re telling me the _truth_. Ha.

**Travis** : Is that true, Griffin?

**Griffin** : Fuck, no. I’m trying to intimidate him.

**Clint** : Does he have to roll, or…?

  
 **Travis** : No, I’m assuming you’re just so used to his flamboyant lies that you don’t take any stock in it, is that right?

**Clint** : On the money.

**Argo** : The truth is...I have--This is hard to say because at sea I wasn’t really around anyone my own age, and so nothing like this has ever happened before. But now, I have friends. Actual friends. The truth is, Fitzroy, I might have developed...feelings for you.

**Travis** : Roll for persuasion.

**Clint** : Why! I’m not lying!

**Justin** : Let the record show that dad is voluntarily trying to romance one of the PCs.

**Clint** : I’m not! It’s just his character. I don’t control his character.

**Travis** : Hey, Dad, some would say you do.

**Griffin** : Hey, D _ad_ , some would say you _do_ control your character!

**Clint** : I didn’t make him with the knowledge that he’d develop a crush on the--the _pompous asshole_ character. That’s just what happened!

_Griffin_ : Okay, okay, Dad, lest ye forget I had to roleplay romance as GM with both Travis _and_ Justin, so yes, I understand. Go on.

**Travis** : Well, it’s--

**Justin** : I think you have to respond to him.

**Griffin** : No, it’s my belief Clint has to roll to persuade me of this. Don’t you agree, Travis?

**Travis** : I do agree with you, Griffin.

**Clint** : Fine! That’s a--nat. 20, babey!

**Griffin** : No, Justin. Go check on Dad.

**Clint** : You don’t believe me? When have I ever lied?

**Griffin** : [laughs]

  
 **Travis** : [laughs]

**Justin** : Just--he rolled. He did the thing. Keep going. We’re losing narrative mo _men_ tum.

**Griffin** : That means it’s _my_ turn. _Cool_ . I know _exactly_ how to respond to this.

**Travis** : Which means he doesn’t.

**Fitzroy** : Ah. And those--when you’re talking about _feelings_ , you mean you--that you _like like_ me?

**Justin** : Smooth.

**Argo** : Aye.

**Fitzroy** : I? Oh, I see. You’ve responded in the affirmative with that sort of _sea_ -folk language.

**Argo** : Well, that’s it. There’s the truth. Anything else you care to ask, or was that the teensy problem you were talking about?

**Fitzroy** : Yes, that does seem to--explain..some things. But, let me ask you Argo, why is it the case that you sneak out during the night? At first I thought you had taken a lover, but in light of this...information, I can’t say that’s a viable guess anymore, is it?

**Argo** : You’re asking me why I leave the dormitory at night?

**Fitzroy** : Yes. That’s precisely what I just asked you.

**Argo** : I have rogue class with Jackle. Just like you have magic class with that fairy, the, ah--

**Fitzroy** : Festo, yes. What is it that you _do_ in rogue class?

**Argo** : Pick locks. Practice theft. You know. Rogue things.

**Fitzroy** : Ah, I should’ve--that should’ve been clear to me by the name, but I guess I’m just a ditz! You know, this has been a very productive talk, and I apologize for disturbing your alone time Argo, so I think I’ll just--leave--now--if that’s alright with you…

**Griffin** : He leaves the room and goes back to the Firbolg.

**Clint** : That’s all? You didn’t even acknowledge--

**Griffin** : Dad, the last time this situation happened to Fitzroy was, oh, let me see, _never_ in the history of his entire existence, so he needs some time to process.

**Firbolg** : Vat did he say?

**Fitzroy** : It’s nothing. It’s stupid. I was being stupid. 

**Firbolg** : Did he say why he leaves in the night?

**Fitzroy** : Ah, he has rogue class.

**Firbolg** : In the night?

**Fitzroy** : Yes.

**Firbolg** : I am not entirely accustomed to the ways of traditional education, but it was my belief students did not take night classes.

**Fitzroy** : You do realize I attended and nearly graduated from Clyde Nite’s Night Knight School?

**Firbolg** : Does, uh, one of the “knights” in your school stand for “nighttime?”

**Fitzroy** : Yes! What, did you think--

**Firbolg** : _I did not see this written down. You believe I am expert at word play, hm? You say you are “knight.” I hear “knight” three times. Who am I to question this redundancy?_

**Fitzroy** : Yes, yes, alright. 

**Firbolg** : I am not entirely convinced of this story. _Whooooo_ other than Argo has these, say, night classes?

**Fitzroy** : If I’m being completely honest, my friend, I don’t know.

**Firbolg** : Then it is pertinent to impose, ah, spy on Argo. To see where he goes?

**Fitzroy** : A spy. Oh, I know the exact man for the job, or should I say _crab_.

  
 **Travis** : vkhkbhkkbkbk

**Fitzroy** : Yes, Snippers, I’m sending you on a stealth mission.

**Clint** : Have we established Fitzroy can understand that thing?

**Griffin** : I think there’s--there’s definitely some psychic link, but no, Snippers does not have what we would traditionally call “language.”

  
 **Travis** : Alright, are you two going to plan anything else, or--

**Justin** : No, I think I’d be okay with the plan. I need more proof of Argo’s actions just beyond his word.

**Griffin** : And I’m just incredibly emotionally off balance right now, so pretty much anything the Firbolg says, I’m going to agree to.

**Travis** : Okay! Let’s end the scene.

**Author's Note:**

> There’s a time jump between this and the next chapter.


End file.
